The Truth About Hazing at Texas Universities: A Guide for Parents and Families in the Town of Christine and Atascosa County

If Your Child Is in Danger Right Now: A 911 for Hazing Emergencies

We understand finding this article likely means you are worried about your child. We are the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ for a reason.

Immediate Steps for Town of Christine Families:

• If your child is injured or in danger: Call 911 or your local emergency services. Your child’s safety is the absolute priority.
• Then, call us immediately: 1-888-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911). We provide urgent legal guidance for hazing crises 24/7.
• Preserve Evidence NOW: Before anything is deleted, help your child screenshot threatening or incriminating group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage, etc.). Take photos of any visible injuries. Do NOT let them delete anything out of fear or embarrassment. Every message and photo is critical.
• Seek Medical Attention: Even if injuries seem minor, a medical record is vital evidence. Conditions like rhabdomyolysis (severe muscle breakdown) may not be immediately apparent.
• Do NOT: Confront the fraternity, sorority, or university directly. Do not sign any documents from the school. Do not let your child be pressured into a “private meeting” with chapter leadership.

Hazing isn’t just “boys being boys” or harmless initiation. It is a calculated pattern of abuse that can lead to catastrophic injury, lifelong trauma, and death. Right now, we represent victims in one of the most severe hazing cases in Texas history. If you’re a parent in the Town of Christine, Poteet, Jourdanton, or anywhere in Atascosa County, this guide is for you. We’ll show you what modern hazing looks like, the laws designed to protect your child, and how a Texas-based firm with national resources is holding powerful institutions accountable.

Hazing in 2025: It’s Not What You Think

For parents who remember college in the 80s or 90s, hazing might conjure images of silly pranks or a single rough “Hell Week.” The reality in 2025 is far more sinister, systematized, and digitally enabled.

Hazing is any intentional, knowing, or reckless act—on or off campus—directed against a student for the purpose of joining, affiliating with, or maintaining membership in a group, that endangers the student’s mental or physical health or safety. Under Texas law, “consent” is not a defense.

Modern hazing tactics are designed to break down a person’s will, create absolute loyalty through trauma bonding, and evade detection by authorities. For families in our close-knit Atascosa County communities, it’s critical to recognize the signs.

The Four Tiers of Modern Hazing:

1. Digital Control & Psychological Warfare: This is the new frontier. Pledges are subjected to 24/7 monitoring via group chats (GroupMe, Discord), required to respond instantly at all hours. Their social media is policed. They are isolated from non-members, given humiliating nicknames, and live in constant fear of making a mistake that will get them “cut.” This constant stress sets the stage for more severe abuse.

2. Harassment & Degradation: This includes sleep deprivation (3 AM wake-up calls for “mandatory meetings”), forced consumption of disgusting food or substances, public humiliation, and verbal abuse. It’s designed to cause discomfort and establish total power imbalance.

3. Physically Dangerous “Traditions”: This is where lifelong injuries happen. It includes extreme, punitive calisthenics (“smokings”) meant to cause muscle failure, exposure to extreme weather, paddling or beatings, and forced, rapid consumption of alcohol. This is not “conditioning”; it’s abuse disguised as tradition.

4. Violent & Life-Threatening Rituals: This tier has led to national headlines and deaths. It includes forced ingestion of dangerous amounts of alcohol or drugs, physical restraint or kidnapping, dangerous physical tests (like blindfolded tackles), and sexualized assault. The goal is complete domination, and the risks are catastrophic.

These acts don’t just happen in fraternity houses. They occur in sororities, athletic teams, Corps of Cadets programs, spirit organizations like the Texas Cowboys, marching bands, and other campus clubs. The common thread is a culture of secrecy, power, and tradition used to justify the unjustifiable.

The Case That Changed Everything for Texas: Leonel Bermudez v. University of Houston & Pi Kappa Phi

Before we discuss general patterns, you need to know about the case that is currently defining hazing accountability in Texas. We are leading this fight.

In late 2025, our firm, The Manginello Law Firm / Attorney911, filed a $10 million lawsuit in Harris County on behalf of Leonel Bermudez, a University of Houston student and Pi Kappa Phi (Beta Nu chapter) pledge. The details, as reported in exclusive coverage by Click2Houston and ABC13, are harrowing and illustrate exactly what Texas parents are up against.

What Happened to Leonel Bermudez:

• The “Pledge Fanny Pack”: He was forced to carry a fanny pack 24/7 containing condoms, a sex toy, nicotine devices, and other humiliating items.
• Systematic Abuse: He endured enforced dress codes, hours-long “study” blocks, overnight chauffeuring duties, and weekly interviews under threat of expulsion.
• Physical Torture: Hazing occurred at the UH Pi Kappa Phi house, a residence on Culmore Drive, and at Yellowstone Boulevard Park. Acts included:
  • Sprints, bear crawls, and wheelbarrow races until collapse.
  • Being sprayed in the face with a hose “similar to waterboarding.”
  • Forced consumption of milk, hot dogs, and peppercorns until vomiting, followed immediately by more sprints.
  • A November 3rd “workout” of 100+ push-ups and 500 squats under threats of being kicked out.
• Medical Catastrophe: After the November 3rd abuse, Leonel deteriorated. He passed brown urine, could not stand without help, and was rushed to the hospital by his mother. He was hospitalized for four days with a diagnosis of rhabdomyolysis (severe skeletal muscle breakdown) and acute kidney failure. Lab tests showed critically high creatine kinase levels. He faces an ongoing risk of permanent kidney damage.

Who We Are Holding Accountable:
Our lawsuit names a full universe of defendants because hazing is never just the act of a few “bad apples.” It is a systemic failure. Defendants include:

• The University of Houston and the UH System Board of Regents.
• Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters and its Beta Nu housing corporation.
• 13 individual fraternity leaders, including the chapter president, pledgemaster, risk manager, and others.

The Aftermath:
Faced with the lawsuit and evidence, Pi Kappa Phi’s national headquarters suspended the Beta Nu chapter on November 6, 2025. On November 14, chapter members voted to surrender their charter, effectively shutting it down. The University of Houston called the alleged conduct “deeply disturbing” and promised disciplinary action and cooperation with law enforcement.

This case is active, ongoing, and at the heart of our practice. It proves that when families have the right legal team—one with the resources to investigate national fraternities and the courage to sue major universities—accountability is possible.

Texas Hazing Law: What Atascosa County Parents Need to Know

Texas takes hazing seriously in its Education Code (Chapter 37, Subchapter F). Understanding these laws is your first tool for protection.

The Core of Texas Law (Plain English):

• It’s a Crime: Hazing is a criminal offense. It can range from a Class B misdemeanor to a State Jail Felony if it causes serious bodily injury or death.
• Location Doesn’t Matter: The law applies to acts on or off campus. A retreat in the Texas Hill Country or a house in San Antonio is just as covered as a dorm room.
• “Consent” is NOT a Defense: Texas law (Sec. 37.155) explicitly states that even if your child “agreed” to participate, it is not a defense to prosecution. Courts understand the power dynamics and coercion at play.
• Individual AND Organizational Liability: Both the students who commit the acts and the organization itself (fraternity, sorority, team) can face criminal fines and civil lawsuits.
• Immunity for Reporters: The law provides protections for individuals who, in good faith, report hazing or seek medical help in an emergency. This is meant to break the code of silence.

Criminal vs. Civil Cases: Two Paths to Justice

• Criminal Case: Brought by the state (e.g., Atascosa County District Attorney or Bexar County DA). The goal is punishment: jail time, fines, probation. Charges can include hazing, assault, furnishing alcohol to minors, and in fatalities, manslaughter.
• Civil Lawsuit: Brought by the victim and their family. The goal is compensation for damages and institutional accountability. This is where we help families recover costs for medical bills, future care, pain and suffering, and lost educational opportunities. A criminal conviction is not required to file a civil case.

The Federal Overlay:

• Title IX: If hazing involves sexual harassment or assault, federal Title IX obligations require the university to investigate and address a hostile environment.
• The Clery Act: Requires universities to report certain crimes, including assaults that may occur during hazing.
• The Stop Campus Hazing Act (2024): A new federal law requiring colleges to publicly report hazing incidents and strengthen prevention policies, increasing transparency for families.

The Greek Ecosystem Serving Atascosa County & South Texas Families

Parents in the Town of Christine, Pleasanton, and Charlotte often send their children to a mix of local colleges and major state universities. Understanding the vast, interconnected network of Greek organizations behind the scenes is crucial. We maintain a Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine built from public records to track this exact network.

Where Atascosa County Students Go:

• Regional Campuses: Texas A&M University-San Antonio, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), Palo Alto College, and other Alamo Colleges are common choices for students staying closer to home.
• Major State University Hubs: Many families also send students to Texas A&M University-College Station, The University of Texas at Austin, University of Houston, Baylor University, and Texas State University. These schools have the largest and most established Greek systems.

The Hidden Web of Greek Organizations: A Public Records Snapshot
Behind every fraternity or sorority chapter on campus is a complex structure of legally registered entities: house corporations that own properties, alumni chapters, educational foundations, and honor societies. These entities often hold insurance policies and assets. When investigating a hazing case, we identify all of them. Here is a small sample from the 125+ Texas-registered Greek organizations in IRS records, showing the scale:

• Sigma Phi Lambda Inc., EIN 20-1237505, Corinth, TX 76210 (IRS B83 filing)
• Kappa Sigma – Mu Camma Chapter Inc., EIN 13-3048786, College Station, TX 77845 (IRS B83 filing)
• Pi Kappa Phi Delta Omega Chapter Building Corporation, EIN 37-1768785, Missouri City, TX 77459 (IRS B83 filing)
• Beta Nu Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Housing Corporation Inc., EIN 46-2267515, Frisco, TX 75035 (IRS B83 filing)
• Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, EIN 26-3170920, Denton, TX 76204 (IRS B83 filing – Texas Woman’s University)
• Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity Inc. (Theta Delta), EIN 47-5370943, Houston, TX 77204 (IRS B83 filing)
• Texas Kappa Sigma Educational Foundation Inc., EIN 74-1380362, Fort Worth, TX 76147 (IRS B83 filing)
• Beta Upsilon Chi, EIN 74-2911848, Fort Worth, TX 76244 (IRS B83 & Cause IQ overlap)

The San Antonio-New Braunfels Metro area, which Atascosa County borders, contains 86 Greek-related organizations according to our Cause IQ data. This includes undergraduate chapters, alumni associations, and honor societies tied to universities like UTSA, Trinity, and Our Lady of the Lake.

Why This Data Matters to You:
It means when a hazing incident occurs at a school your child attends, the liability and insurance coverage may extend far beyond the students in the room. It may involve a housing corporation in Frisco, an alumni fund in Fort Worth, and a national headquarters in another state. Our investigative approach starts with this data, ensuring no responsible entity is overlooked.

National Patterns, Local Consequences: Fraternities & Sororities with Dangerous Histories

The fraternities and sororities on Texas campuses are chapters of national organizations. These nationals have decades of history—and many have patterns of deadly hazing incidents. This history creates “foreseeability,” meaning they knew or should have known the risks. This is a powerful legal concept.

Organizations with Documented Deadly Histories:

• Pi Kappa Alpha (Pike): Stone Foltz died at Bowling Green State University (2021) from forced alcohol consumption; a $10+ million settlement. David Bogenberger died at Northern Illinois University (2012); a $14 million settlement.
• Beta Theta Pi: Timothy Piazza died at Penn State (2017) after a brutal bid acceptance night; led to Pennsylvania’s Timothy J. Piazza Anti-Hazing Law.
• Phi Delta Theta: Max Gruver died at LSU (2017) during a “Bible study” drinking game; led to Louisiana’s felony hazing “Max Gruver Act.”
• Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE): Has been involved in multiple high-profile injury lawsuits, including a traumatic brain injury case at the University of Alabama and a chemical burns case at Texas A&M.
• Pi Kappa Phi: Andrew Coffey died at Florida State University (2017) from alcohol poisoning during a “Big Brother” night.

The Texas A&M Connection: A Stark Warning
Texas A&M University has seen severe hazing allegations that mirror these national patterns. In a lawsuit, pledges of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) chapter alleged they were subjected to strenuous activity and had substances, including industrial-strength cleaner, poured on them, causing severe chemical burns that required skin graft surgeries. This wasn’t a minor prank; it was life-altering violence disguised as initiation.

These national patterns matter because they show the playbook. The “Big/Little” night, the forced drinking games, the physical endurance tests—they are recycled tragedies. When a Texas chapter engages in the same conduct, the national organization cannot claim ignorance. This pattern evidence is central to building a successful civil case for families in Atascosa County and across Texas.

Your Roadmap: Building a Powerful Hazing Case with Attorney911

If the worst has happened, know that you are not powerless. Building a winning case requires speed, strategy, and deep investigative resources. Here’s how we approach it.

1. Immediate Evidence Preservation (The First 48 Hours are Critical)
Evidence disappears at digital speed. We guide families on how to:

• Screenshot Everything: Group chats (GroupMe, WhatsApp, iMessage), DMs, social media posts, and stories before they are deleted. Our video on using your phone to document evidence is a vital resource.
• Photograph Injuries: Take clear, dated photos of all bruises, burns, or other injuries from multiple angles.
• Secure Physical Evidence: Save clothing, paddles, or any objects used.
• Document Memories: Write down a detailed timeline of events with names, dates, locations, and witnesses while memories are fresh.

2. The Full Investigation: Leaving No Stone Unturned
Our work goes far beyond what a family can do alone. We deploy a investigative strategy that includes:

• Digital Forensics: Working with experts to recover deleted messages and metadata.
• Subpoenas for Records: Obtaining internal chapter communications, meeting minutes, and “pledge educator” materials from the national fraternity/sorority headquarters.
• University Discovery: Using legal process to get the school’s prior disciplinary records on the chapter, incident reports, and communications between Greek life advisors and the chapter.
• Expert Network: Consulting with medical experts to document the full extent of injuries, economists to calculate lifetime impacts, and psychologists to assess trauma (PTSD, anxiety, depression).

3. Identifying Every Responsible Party
We use our Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine to map the entire organizational structure, targeting:

• The individual perpetrators.
• The local chapter and its officers.
• The national fraternity/sorority and its governing board.
• The university and its administrators (for negligent supervision).
• Housing corporations and alumni associations that own properties or provide funding.
• Insurers for all the above entities.

4. Recovering Comprehensive Damages
The goal is to make your child whole and deter future conduct. Recoverable damages can include:

• All medical expenses (past, present, and future lifelong care if needed).
• Lost wages and diminished future earning capacity.
• Pain and suffering and emotional distress.
• Punitive damages, in egregious cases, to punish the defendants.

We work on a contingency fee basis—you pay no upfront fees, and we only get paid if we recover money for you. We explain this fully in our video on how contingency fees work. Time is of the essence; learn about the statute of limitations on your case.

Action Guides for Atascosa County Parents & Students

For Parents: Warning Signs & First Steps

Watch for these red flags:

• Unexplained injuries, constant exhaustion, or drastic weight change.
• Personality shifts: new anxiety, depression, secrecy, or defensiveness about the group.
• Being constantly on their phone for group chats, jumpy when it buzzes.
• Financial requests for unexplained “fines,” “dues,” or alcohol purchases.
• A sudden drop in grades or missing important family events for “mandatory” activities.

If you suspect hazing:

1. Talk calmly and supportively. Say, “I’m worried about you. My only concern is your safety. You can tell me anything.”
2. Prioritize medical care. Get a professional evaluation.
3. Preserve evidence together. Help them screenshot, not delete.
4. Contact a hazing attorney BEFORE reporting to the university. We can help you navigate the process to protect your child from retaliation and ensure a real investigation happens. Call us at 1-888-ATTY-911.

For Students: Is This Hazing? How to Get Out Safely.

• Trust your gut. If it feels wrong, coercive, or dangerous, it probably is.
• You have the right to leave. No tradition is worth your life, health, or dignity.
• Your “consent” under pressure is not real consent. Texas law protects you.
• Plan a safe exit. Tell a trusted friend or family member first. Then, send a simple text/email to the chapter president: “I am resigning my membership, effective immediately.” Do NOT go to a “final meeting.”
• If you are in immediate danger, call 911. Then call us.

Critical Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case

We’ve detailed these in a dedicated video on client mistakes that can ruin your injury case. The top errors include:

• Deleting digital evidence out of shame or fear.
• Confronting the fraternity/sorority directly, giving them a head start to destroy evidence and lawyer up.
• Signing a university “resolution agreement” without an attorney, often for a trivial sum that waives your right to sue.
• Posting details on social media, which defense attorneys will mine for inconsistencies.
• Waiting too long. Evidence vanishes, witnesses scatter, and the statute of limitations runs out.

Why Texas Hazing Families Choose Attorney911/The Manginello Law Firm

When your family is in a crisis with a powerful university and a national fraternity, you need a firm that operates at their level. We are not general personal injury lawyers; we are complex institutional litigators with a specific focus on hazing.

Our Proven Advantages:

1. Active, High-Stakes Hazing Litigation: We are not theorizing. We are currently litigating the Leonel Bermudez $10 million case against UH and Pi Kappa Phi. This is the reality of our work.

2. The Insurance Insider Advantage: Our attorney, Mr. Lupe Peña (he/him), spent years as a defense attorney for a national insurance firm. He knows exactly how fraternity and university insurers evaluate claims, fight coverage, and use delay tactics. We know their playbook because we used to help write it. You can learn more about Mr. Peña’s background here.

3. Experience Against Billion-Dollar Defendants: Managing partner Ralph Manginello was one of the few plaintiff attorneys involved in the BP Texas City explosion litigation. We have faced the deepest pockets and most aggressive defense teams. Universities and national fraternities do not intimidate us. Learn about Ralph’s background and results here.

4. Data-Driven Investigation: Our proprietary Texas Hazing Intelligence Engine—built from IRS records, university data, and national databases—means we start every case with a map of the liable entities. We don’t chase ghosts; we target the organizations that hold responsibility and insurance.

5. Dual Civil & Criminal Expertise: Ralph’s membership in the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association (HCCLA) means we understand the criminal process that may run parallel to your civil case. We can effectively advise families and witnesses navigating both systems.

6. Spanish-Language Services (Se habla Español): Mr. Peña is a fluent Spanish speaker, ensuring we can serve the diverse families of South Texas with comfort and clarity.

7. A Mission for Accountability: We take these cases to get justice for your family and to force change. A successful lawsuit can shut down dangerous chapters, reform university policies, and deter future hazing. We fight to make sure no other family in Atascosa County has to endure what yours has.

A Final Message to Parents in the Town of Christine and Atascosa County

The values of community, family, and looking out for one another run deep here in South Texas. When an institution betrays the trust you placed in them to keep your child safe, it shakes that foundation.

Hazing is a breach of that trust. It is not a rite of passage; it is a cycle of abuse that preys on young people’s desire to belong. You sent your child to college to build a future, not to have it stolen by violence disguised as tradition.

If you have concerns, or if the unthinkable has already happened, please reach out. You do not have to navigate this alone against a wall of lawyers and administrators.

Contact The Manginello Law Firm, PLLC (Attorney911) today for a free, completely confidential consultation. We will listen to your story, explain your legal options in plain English, and help you decide the best path forward for your family. We serve clients throughout Texas from our offices in Houston, Austin, and Beaumont.

Call the Legal Emergency Lawyers™ Now: 1-8884-ATTY-911 (1-888-288-9911)
Direct Line: (713) 528-9070
Website: https://attorney911.com
Se habla Español: Contact Mr. Lupe Peña at lupe@atty911.com

Plain Text Links to Key Resources:

News Coverage of the Flagship UH Case:

• Click2Houston Investigation: https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2025/11/21/only-on-2-lawsuit-alleges-severe-hazing-at-university-of-houstons-pi-kappa-phi-chapter-fraternity/
• ABC13 Eyewitness News Coverage: https://abc13.com/post/waterboarding-forced-eating-physical-punishment-lawsuit-alleges-abuse-faced-injured-pledge-uhs-pi-kappa-phi-fraternity/18186418/

Attorney911 Educational Videos:

• Using Your Cellphone to Document Evidence: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLbpzrmogTs
• Texas Statutes of Limitations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRHwg8tV02c
• Client Mistakes That Can Ruin a Case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3IYsoxOSxY
• How Contingency Fees Work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upcI_j6F7Nc

Attorney911 Main Website & Contact:

• Homepage & Free Consultation: https://attorney911.com

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading this does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every case is different, and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly. The description of cases and laws is based on information available as of late 2025.